Sinking to the Sky
by fleurusagi
Summary: Feeling trapped behind the palace walls, Satoshi takes the opportunity to sneak out and finally see the outside world. He gets more what he bargains for when he gets involved in the world of pirates and experiences the harshness of the real world beyond his royal home. Prince/Pirate AU


**Hello, again~ and hello to those who are reading one of my stories for the first time!**

**This is my first multi-chapter Palletshipping story and it's a pirate/prince AU.**

**I'm going to use both the Japanese and English names for the characters.**

**Their Japanese names will be used as their original/royalty/noble names.**

**Their English names will be used as their pirate names.**

**For the Pokémon and cities/regions, I will use their English names.**

**Satoshi/Ash is 19 years old and he doesn't has his thunderbolt/zigzag things on his cheeks…yet…**

**Hopefully it doesn't get too confusing.**

**Enough with the author notes!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><span><em><strong>Sinking to the Sky<strong>_

**Chapter 1**

Satoshi sighed as he looked up at the sky, small flocks of Butterfree and Pidgeotto flying by.

He envied the flying Pokémon. They were able to fly whenever and wherever they wished, no cage keeping them trapped from spreading their wings.

As the prince of Kanto, he wasn't allowed outside the palace walls. His mother, Queen Hanako, feared he would disappear without a trace, just like his father and the royal heir of Pewter City.

Two other things that were restricted for him were human and Pokémon contact.

The only time he had human contact was when there were royal balls, most of them held in their castle. It would be rare when they were held in another city, for the queen was not fond of travelling too far from Pallet Town.

Satoshi was allowed to see and meet Pokémon that were considered tame and harmless. Because of their gentle personality towards the clean air and tranquility of Pallet Town, they were constantly allowed inside the garden's palace.

It was one of the few things he truly appreciated.

"Do you miss the outside world, Pikachu? I bet it's nicer than here," Satoshi said as he scratched Pikachu's ear.

He considered it luck to have Pikachu by his side. Professor Okido managed to convince his mother to allow for the yellow Pokémon to stay with him. Although Pikachu was stubborn and hard to control the first few weeks, they managed to form an unbreakable friendship after Satoshi stayed up with Pikachu all night when the electric mouse got sick. There were electric shocks here and there, but they were rarely seen without the other.

"We should go back inside. I'm getting hungry."

Pikachu chirped and jumped off his lap. Satoshi took one last glance at the sky before heading back inside the castle.

They walked through the halls in silence in an effort to avoid his teachers. The last thing he wanted was to attend a lesson with an empty stomach.

He suddenly heard voices and he quickly hid behind a pillar. Pikachu jumped on his shoulder and perked up his ears. He then pulled Satoshi's hair to signal the coast was clear. They took a few steps when they were stopped by a soft chuckle. They turned around and saw Professor Okido staring at them with an amused smile.

"Hello, Satoshi, Pikachu."

"Hello, Professor Okido."

"Are you heading to the kitchen?"

Satoshi smiled sheepishly and said, "Please don't tell anyone."

"As long as you don't tell anyone about this." He held out a leather-bound journal. "I just finished adding sixty-seven new Pokémon."

"Sixty-seven more? Really?"

"Yes, really. You know where to put it once you're done reading it, right?"

Satoshi nodded and grabbed the journal. He gently placed it inside his coat, excitement clear in his smile and eyes.

"Thank you. I'll take good care of it."

"I know you will, Satoshi. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodbye, Professor Okido."

The professor scratched Pikachu's ear as goodbye and walked the opposite direction. Satoshi watched him walk away, envious that the professor worked with Pokémon in a daily basis.

He then continued on his way to the kitchen, Pikachu making himself comfortable on top of his head. Slowly pushing the kitchen doors as a warning, the cooks and maids stood up straight and rushed to their positions.

"Prince Satoshi," the cooks and maids said together as they bowed. "How can we help you?"

"Can we get something to eat?"

"Of course," the chef replied. "Is there anything specific that you want?"

"No, anything is fine."

The chef nodded and ordered the cooks to start prepping his meal. Satoshi talked enthusiastically with the maids while Pikachu explored the kitchen for ketchup. Satoshi reminded all of them that it was perfectly fine to address him without the royal title and the bowing when they were alone. They smiled and nodded, glad that the prince has stayed humble and treated them fairly.

"Your meal is ready," the chef said as he handed the tray to one of the maids.

"I'll take it," Satoshi cut in. "I don't want you to get in trouble."

"What about you?" the maid asked worriedly.

Satoshi shrugged and took the tray from the maid. "I'll bring the tray back when I'm done. Thanks for the meal."

"Anytime, pr-Satoshi."

The prince smiled and walked out of the kitchen with Pikachu, a small glass vile of ketchup held delicately on his paws. They quickly made their way to the library, the slightest sound making them pause and hide.

Satoshi let out a sigh of relief when they finally entered the library. He made his way to the back and settled himself on the far right corner.

"Here you go, Pikachu," Satoshi says as he placed the plate down on the floor.

They ate their meal in comfortable silence, the leather-covered journal hidden inside a hollowed book. The temptation of reading about the new Pokémon was too strong to ignore, but the prince wanted to enjoy his meal.

_'Mom will probably find out if I don't eat my meal properly anyways,' _Satoshi rolled his eyes at the thought. _'Even when I'm alone I can't escape.'_

He grumbled silently as he grabbed Pikachu's empty plate, placing it on top of his. He then placed the tray under the table across from him, hiding it from view in case someone came looking for him. Once satisfied, he grabbed the book once more, Pikachu making himself comfortable on his lap.

"Can you believe there's more than 150 Pokémon, Pikachu? And in another region, too!" Satoshi quietly exclaimed. "The professor said there's another region other than Johto, but it's difficult to travel because of pirates. But… even without pirates, I probably wouldn't be allowed to travel."

He sighed and carefully turned the pages of the book, stopping every once in a while to read the new and additional information, the illustrations making him awe.

"There's another evolution for Gloom, but it says it needs a Sun Stone to evolve. I thought there were only five evolution stones and an Everstone. I wonder how many more exist… I'll ask Professor Okido tomorrow. I'll also ask him about Pichu and see if he can bring one for you. Won't that be nice, Pikachu?"

Pikachu nodded, exciting sparks flickering from his cheeks. Satoshi smiled and patted Pikachu's head, hopeful for Pikachu to have a friend of his kind. It wasn't fair Pikachu had restrictions with others only because Satoshi did. He didn't want his partner to feel the same loneliness and loss of freedom he felt.

_'Why won't anyone else tell me more about the outside world?' _

He looked around the library, disappointed that the books they had didn't give him much information. Many were in languages he didn't understand, too outdated, or myths and legends of the Pokémon world. His only source of information that was authentic was the journal that Professor Okido lent him. The maids and cooks were prohibited from telling him any news about the outside world, but he would hear occasional gossip when he would sneak around or they would accidentally let something slip in their conversation.

"It isn't fair," he complained to himself. "I'm not a kid anymore!"

He felt trapped within the walls of the palace with no one but Pikachu to share his pain. One of his closest friends has gone missing while the other one was no longer allowed to come over unless there was a ball or a royal assembly in fear she might also disappear. It was times like these when he tried to escape, but he never managed to make it to the front doors of the castle without a guard informing his mother.

Satoshi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew he had to control his temper. It wouldn't do him any good to lash out at the people who didn't deserve it. He could also lose the opportunity of assisting Professor Okido with his research when he turned twenty-one.

_'Two more years… No angry outbursts and no trying to escape… I could do this… Just two more years…'_

An hour later, he hid the book in its designated spot. Satisfied that it blended with the other books, he picked up the tray and headed out with Pikachu. When they were halfway to the kitchen, they ran into a maid.

"Prince Satoshi, I could take that for you."

He tightened his grip on the tray, quickly becoming annoyed at being called prince again. "No, it's fine. I could do it myself."

"A prince shouldn't be doing such things. I'll take it off your hands."

"I said it's fine," Satoshi gritted out, slightly confused at the maid's attitude.

The maid reached out for the tray, as if to end the conversation. But before she could grab the handles, Pikachu jumped on top of Satoshi's head and set out threatening sparks. Unconsciously, the raven took a step back and stood in a defensive stance.

"What ar-"

"Good afternoon, Prince Satoshi."

As he turned towards the voice, the maid quickly took advantage of the distraction and took the tray. She hurriedly walked away before Satoshi could say anything, silently angering the raven. He took a deep breath and forcibly pushed the incident back into his mind and fully faced the other person.

"Good afternoon, Sir Sakaki."

"Will you accompany me for a walk?"

Knowing it would be rude to say no, Satoshi reluctantly nodded. They walked side to side through the halls, a tense silence settling around them. He didn't know why, but the young prince always felt uncomfortable whenever he was around the older male. Too deep in his thoughts, he didn't notice they were heading to the front doors.

"What is it, Pikachu?" he quietly asked when he felt his friend gently pull his hair.

Pikachu pointed at the doors, causing Satoshi to stop. Sakaki stopped as well when he noticed the younger man was no longer by his side.

"Is there something wrong?"

"I can't go outside. I'm not allowed."

Sakaki smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "No need to worry about that. I have it all under control."

Satoshi quickly glanced at the doors and noticed the lack of guards. Sakaki then faced away from him, as if to give him privacy as he debated his decision.

"What should we do, Pikachu? We have a chance to see what's outside the walls, but what if we get into trouble? We can wait two more years… right?" He looked at Pikachu, who was equally conflicted. "But what if we don't ever get a chance again? This can be our only opportunity."

Not knowing when the guards would return, he made his decision. He walked passed Sakaki and stood in front of the doors. After a slight pause, he pushed them open and stepped outside. He followed Sakaki to the front of the gate of the palace walls. Once more, he noticed that there were no guards.

"Wait, Prince Satoshi. Before we head outside the walls, please wear this," Sakaki said, handing Satoshi a black hooded cape. "This way, you can hide your identity and walk without anyone being suspicious of who you are."

Satoshi raised an eyebrow but grabbed the cape anyways, knowing he had a point. The last thing he wanted was getting unwanted attention. He quickly wore the cape and placed the hood over his head, Pikachu resting on his left shoulder.

"What made you decide?" Sakaki asked as they passed through the gate.

Satoshi pushed down his excitement and simply answered, "If everyone else trusts you, then so can we."

"I see," Sakaki mumbled with a satisfied tone. "Have you seen the ocean, Prince Satoshi?"

"No, but I heard about it."

"Then we should go there. The path to the ocean goes through the town," Sakaki explained as they walked down the single road connecting the town and castle. "You'll be able to see everything before we arrive to our destination."

Satoshi could only nod, his nervousness and excitement taking over. As he took a deep breath of the fresh and cool air, he looked up to the sky to calm himself. As they neared the town, he heard various voices and smelled different aromas.

"This is it, Pikachu," he whispered. "We're finally here."

_'We're finally out!'_

Once they were in town, his eyes widen at the sight. Many people were outside, some taking a late afternoon stroll with their children or buying ingredients for dinner. He saw Pokémon playing with children, accompanying the adults in their errands, or simply relaxing in front of the buildings. There were various shops, each selling their own items such as candles or clothes. His mouth watered at the different smells that the breads were given off.

"We can visit some of the shops after we come back," Sakaki suggested.

"I would like that. Thank you, Sir Sakaki," Satoshi replied sincerely, happiness laced in his voice.

They continued walking through the town, each sight making Satoshi smile. He noticed that the top floor for most of the shops were used as their quarters. Some houses were next to the shops or had some space in between, the allies used as hiding spots for anyone who wanted to use them.

As they neared the road that led to the ocean, the noise level began to quiet down. From their spot, Satoshi was able to see two ships tied by the dock. Once they were a few feet away from the dock, the prince inhaled the salty and cold air. It felt refreshing and new, a smell he knew he wouldn't forget. The color of the ocean was a deep blue, the waves clashing against the bottom of the ships.

"We can take a closer look at the ships by the docks, but you have to stay close to me."

His desired reply was _'Don't treat me like a kid'_ but he only answered with a curt nod. The scent of the ocean became stronger, the wind being powerful and colder than what he expected. Suddenly, Pikachu jumped off his shoulder and ran to the end of the dock.

"Pikachu! Come back! It's dangerous!"

He followed Pikachu and noticed a collapsed Nidorino. He leaned down and placed a shaky hand on the Pokémon's stomach to check if he was breathing, letting out a relieved sigh when he felt his stomach go up and down.

"Sir Sakaki, what should we do?" he asked as he felt a presence behind him. "We can take him back to the castle and have Professor Okido check on him. It won't be right to leave Nidorino here like this."

"So the prince only cares about Pokémon, huh?

"It's surprising to know they actually care about something other than themselves."

Satoshi froze at the cruel, unknown voices. His heart pounded fast in fear, his mind quickly jumping to negative conclusions.

_'What happened to Sir Sakaki? Did they-'_

He felt a cold hand grip his hood and pull it off his head. The hand then grabbed the back of his neck and harshly lifted him up.

"Don't worry, your highness," the person sneered in his ear. "Nidorino is fine."

Suddenly, the Nidorino opened his eyes and used Double Kick on Pikachu. Pikachu landed harshly on the wooden floor, but managed to push himself up and attack with a Thunder Shock. Although it hit its target, it was not strong enough to cause him much damage.

"There's no need for worthless Pokémon," said the man holding Satoshi, his eyes indifferent at the sight of Pikachu struggling to keep himself up. "Finish him off with a Horn Attack."

"No, stop! Please!" Satoshi yelled as he struggled to break free, only making the grip on his neck stronger. "Pikachu!"

Nidorino slightly lowered its head and charged at Pikachu. He thrust his horn with a strong force on his opponents stomach, sending a heavily injured Pikachu into the ocean. Satoshi eyes widen, tears quickly forming and threatening to spill.

"Pi-Pikachu! Let me go! I need to-I can't-"

"Shut up," the man next to him said. "It's not much of a surprise Pikachu is weak. After all, it takes after its owner."

He was dragged halfway down the dock and thrown to the floor. Satoshi managed to see Sakaki collapsed on the floor before glaring at the two men, his glare wavering when he noticed who they were.

_'Pirates.'_ He then noticed the red R on their black vests, a shiver running over his spine._ 'R… Then that must mean they're the notorious Rocket pirates the maids were talking about out.'_

"Now be a good prince and you won't end up like that man over there and your beloved Pikachu," the pirate sneered.

"I don't need to listen to people like you," Satoshi replied back, his voice trembling slightly.

"Don't talk back to your elders, kid."

"I don't talk back to those I respect," the prince retorted with a stronger conviction as he mentally prepared himself to jump into the ocean to save Pikachu.

The taller of the two men scoffed and looked at his partner, silently communicating with him. Taking advantage of their distraction, Satoshi pushed himself on his feet and ran to the end of the dock. The pirates chased after him and each grabbed one of his arms. Satoshi back-kicked the shorter man on his knee, the pain causing him to loosen his grasp. He freed his arm, quickly turned around, and kicked the taller man on his crotch. He then swiftly punched the other man on the face with as much force as he could muster. Ignoring the curses and groans of his almost-kidnappers, the young prince ran towards the end of the dock.

"Nidorino, stop him!"

Nidorino charged at Satoshi, his horn slashing his lower left leg. Satoshi hissed in pain but forced his body to jump into the water. He swam to the end of the dock and saw Pikachu floating a few feet away from him. With his remaining energy, he swam to Pikachu and gently held him in his right arm as he struggled to keep himself up float.

"Nidorino, use Echoed Voice to knock them out!"

Nidorino obeyed, but the attack pushed Satoshi away from the dock, creating waves around him. His head and body were beginning to ache, his vision slowly turning black. The attack became stronger and the waves bigger, forcing him down the water, his grip on Pikachu tightening as he tried to kick himself up to the surface.

"We can't lose him! Get him back!"

His body soon gave up on him, letting the ocean sink him down to its depths. The last thing he hears before losing consciousness was an enchanting melody.

* * *

><p><strong>Mewtwo is not discovered yet, so the 150th Pokémon is Mew (but that may change later in the story).<strong>

**Pikachu, according to the anime, is male.**

**I suck at describing things so… the town looks similar to old towns back in the days or like that of Beauty and the Beast to make it simpler.**

**Hanako is Delia (Ash's mom) and Professor Okido is Professor Oak. **

**Who is Sakaki? That's a mystery and won't be revealed yet! But if you look them up, well that would be a spoiler for you... so please don't**

**My progress will be slow, but I promise I'll finish this story no matter what, so thank you for your patience!**

**Tell me what you think so far!**

**Oh and guess what? I have a tumblr! I usually post Kingdom Hearts stuff but if you want to ask me anything or want to know something, you can go there. My username is as same as my fanfiction username: fleurusagi.**

**Till next time!**


End file.
